Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1916 — “UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN”

Isaiah —December H. A Picture of Messiah and His Millennial Kingdom—Darkness Still Meas‘r urably Covers the World—Tho Rising of the Sun of Righteousness to Scatter the Darkness —Messiah to Be the Agency Through Which Cleansing and Lighting Will Be Ac-1 complished. “For unto us a Child is bom, unto us a Senfl <s given; and the Government shall be uporn His shoulder; and His name shall be cal lift Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’’—Verse 6. CHE FIRST VERSE of the chapter from which today’s Study Is taken should be the last verse of the preceding chapter. Verse 2. After the Hebrew Idiom, this statemo it pertaining to the future reads as if related to something in the past. The promised great Light Is not yet shining upon the people. Mankind still “dwell in the land of the shadow of death.” True, a measure of light emanated from our Redeemer's words and works; and It still shines forth from all whose hearts are illuminated by His promises and His Spirit But this is not the light which Is to scatter earth’s darkness and to cause all mankind to appreciate God's glory. That tlie Sun of Righteousness has not yet risen with healing In His beams is fully evidenced by the gross darkness of heathendom and by the lesser darkness of Christendom. The glorious prospect is, however, that very soon the Church of Christ will be completed, and that the Sun of Righteousness will shine. (Malachi 4:2; Matthew 13:43.) Then ultimately every child of Adam, sharer In ols curse, shall be brought under the influence of that great Light which will constitute the Millennial Age a Day of glory. Verse 3. “Thou hast multiplied the nation. Thou hast Increased their Joy; they Joy before Thee according to thee Joy In harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” This, the Revised Version rendering, Is evidently the correct one.

This pictures mankind during the Millennial Age, brought forth from death, released from the Adamic curse, rejoicing as those who divide a spoil—sharing In something which has fallen to them. Th e Mlll enn ia 1 blessings will be distributed as Di-

vine bounty; and none will escape these blessings except those who wilfully refuse them. Verse 4 delineates this Joy. It will be because the great oppressor, Satan, will no longer have control. His yoke of sin, sorrow and death, his rod and his staff of a fillet ion and slavery, will be 1 broken forever. (Revelation 20:1-3.) The victory over the Adversary will not be slowly and gradually accomplished by missions or any human power. The Ixird Himself will interpose, “as in the day of Midlan,” when Gideon and his little band of Israelites routed the hosts of Midlan. (Judges 7:15-22.) Gideon evidently prefigured our Lord Jesus; and his little band prefigured the Church of Christ. After Gideon’s little band bad been sifted, the Lord granted the great deliverance. So In the end of this Age, after the antitypical Gideon’s hand, under their Captain, tho Lord Jesus Christ, have given their Message—let their light shine out—God will grant the groat victory for truth and righteousness through a Time of Trouble which will eventuate in the binding of Satan and the release of the oppressed.

How It Will Be Brought About. Verse 6 explains how the foregoing prophecy shall be fulfilled. First, Messiah must come, who would be bom after the manner of mankind, but nevertheless would be the Son of God. Continuing, the prophecy pictures the government falling upon Ills shoulders. Ignoring the earthly sufferings of Tho Christ, the prophecy points to the glorified Messiah at His Second Advent, as viewed from Jehovah’s standpoint. A name stands for the character or powers of an Individual. The titles

given to our Lord In Verse 6 represent His majesty, power and glory. Already Ills followers know Him as a most wonderful Counsellor. The world has yet to learn this fact; but before the close of the Millennium It will be generally known. Our Lord

is recognized now by His true followers as the Mighty God, but not as the Father. (1 Corinthians 8:6.) He is the Father’s Representative, Mouthpiece, the well-beloved Son, given all power necessary for the accomplishment of the great work entrusted Him. He will be the Everlasting Father of mankind in the sense that, having redeemed Adam and the race to which Adam failed to give life, He will give life everlasting to all who will obey Him. The Church, however, are begotten of Jehovah to a new, spiritual nature. Verse 7. David signifies beloved. The kingdom entrusted to King David was God’s typical kingdom, and was maintained by the Lord until Zedeklah’s time, when It was removed until He should come whose RIGHT ft is. (Ezekiel 21:27.) Our Lord, as a descendant of David, was the Heir to that Kingdom which was to have no end.

The Prince of Peace.

Unto Us a Hon Is Given.